Homewood Cluster Market Analysis
Operation Better Block
Operation Better Block (OBB) promotes economic development in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA, providing direct services to Homewood residents and business owners.
As with many long-standing community-based organizations, OBB has taken on numerous roles over time. A shift in focus from community revitalization to physical development led to a lack of clarity regarding the organization’s values, services, and its impact on residents’ quality of life. Increased programming strained OBB’s general operations as resources were reallocated to meet new demands. To better understand the Homewood community’s needs and to reform its programmatic offerings accordingly, OBB partnered with Fourth Economy to develop an organizational Strategic Plan.
Our Approach
Fourth Economy worked with a Steering Committee composed of OBB’s staff and Board of Directors to identify areas of need and establish an engagement strategy, building upon a recent Environmental Scan of the organization and neighborhood. An Advisory Committee was formed, and interviews and two community engagement sessions were held in Homewood. Recognizing the tension between neighborhood housing needs and the organization’s development capacity, Fourth Economy provided a housing-focused data analysis and identified potential partnership opportunities for OBB.
The Results
The resulting three-year plan provided a blueprint for operational stabilization and sustainability, including a short-term action plan with specific dates and metrics. Implementation sessions were conducted with the organization’s staff and Board of Directors to share the plan’s findings and review the short- and long-term action items essential for the organization to continue fulfilling its mission.
Location
Pittsburgh, PA